Container



Sept 1935- J. M, HOTHERSALL CONTAINER Filed Sept. 8, 1955 2% ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE American Can Company,

New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New Jersey Application September 8, 1933, Serial No. 688,678 Claims. (Cl. 221-11) The present invention relates to liquid containers or cans and has as an object the provision of pouring spouts secured on the outside walls of the cans which function as pouring spouts after the adjacent can walls are punctured and opened, to the end that the cansmay be closed and sealed by the usual closure members which remain in place undisturbed and in full sealing position during and following the dispensing of the can contents by way of the spouts, thus providing easier opening and better pouring characteristics for such cans.

The invention contemplates the manufacture of the can in the regular manner and the sealing of it by the usual cover member and an object of the invention is the provision of such a can, the closure parts of which need not be removed or disturbed in the opening of the can and in the dispensing of its contents, the pouring spout being located on one side and the can wall on this side being broken open for the dispensing of the can contents through the spout.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a necked-in or reduce-d top container having a pouring spout secured to the outside of its side wall in the necked-in or reduced region without increasing the overall dimensions of the can, the spout functioning, after the can wall is opened, to direct the flow of liquid passing from the can.

Yet a further object of the invention is the provision of a container of the character described wherein the discharge or dispensing opening of the spout is adapted to be temporarily closed by a removable reclosure cap after each use of the spout, such closure of the spout at the same time closing the can.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper part of a liquid container embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the can and its pouring spout taken substantially along the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation detail of the side wall of the can with the pouring spout removed as it would look as viewed substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the can opened and the spout in use in dispensing the liquid contents; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the reclosing of the dispensing opening of the pouring spout.

The present invention as exemplified by one embodiment and as illustrated in the drawing comprises a body ll having a necked-in portion [2 adjacent its top, this necked-in portion providing a smaller diameter can wall to which a cover member 13 may be suitably secured as by a double scam I l. Such a can is filled with its liquid.contents after which it is closed by the seaming of the cover member I3 into secure and permanent position. A handle is preferably secured on top of the cover member I3 by means of which the filled and sealed can may be easily handled and pouring of its contents facilitated.

A pouring spout l6 having a surrounding flange I1 is provided on one side of the body wall I I, the flange being shaped to closely fit the necked-in part 12 of the can at such place and this flange is secured to the outside of the can wall in any suitable manner as by welding or soldering. The

- spout is preferably secured to the can wall just below the double seam M. The can body may be made in the usual manner and application of the spout effected as a supplemental operation so as not to interfere with the regular preceding can manufacturing processes.

The spout I6 is formed with a tubular body I8, the form herein shown being wider along one dimension and this tubular body extends substantially in a horizontal plane. The end or outer wall of the spout body is cut out or apertured as a discharge or pouring opening 19. This tubular part i8 is preferably located just below the seam M as shown.

The wall of the can body ll back of the pouring spout is continuous and makes the can tight at this point, and is partially cut through or weakened by score lines 2| (Figs. 2 and 3) which form, in the present disclosure, an incomplete oval having spaced apart ends 22 and leaving an unscored connecting portion 23 of the can wall.

When the can is to be opened and its contents dispensed that portion of the wall defined within the score lines 2|, 22 (designated by the numeral 24) is pressed in, breaking the metal along the score lines and bending it along the unscored connecting bridge part 23 into the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The bent-in part 24 is confined entirely inside of the can and projects away from the can wall.

The part 24 in shape follows substantially that of the interior of the spout I8 and leaves a pouring or discharge opening 25 in the can wall which is about the same as and which aligns with the discharge opening I9 of the pouring spout. Breaking of the can wall to produce this pouring opening 25 is best done by pressing against the for temporarily closing the spout discharge opening l9, and such a closure also forms a reclosure for the can. Such a cap may frictionally flt over the outside of the tubular part l8 of the spout when in closing position, Fig. illustrating such an applied position. To prevent loss the cap may be flexibly secured to the can by a wire or cord 33 engaging the can wall as at 34.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A metal container for liquids, having a cover member secured thereto for sealing the same, and a pouring spout permanently secured to the outside wall of the container just below said cover member, the wall of the container within said pouring spout forming an hermetic closure and having weakened score lines setting off a removable part substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spout, and provided for opening of the container upon pressing in of the metal wall part defined by the score lines to create a discharge opening communicating with the interior of said pouring spout through which the liquid of the container may be dispensed as it flows through said spout.

2. A metal container for liquids comprising, in combination, a container body, a cover member seamed to the upper end of said body, and a tubular pouring spout having a discharge opening and a flange secured to the outsidewall of the container body just below its top end, the container wall inside of said spout flange forming an hermetic closure and having weakened score lines setting of! a removable wall part substantially parallel to the discharge opening of the spout, the removal of said set-ofi wall part creating a container wall discharge opening through which the liquid contents may be dispensed as it flows out of the container opening into and out of said spout opening.

3. A metal container for liquids, having a cover member secured thereto for sealing the same, the container being necked-in or reduced in diameter at its top, and a pouring spout having a flange which is secured to the outside of the container wall on one side and in said necked-in region, said pouring spout being within the overall dimensions of the container when in pouring position, the container wall in said necked-in part where it is surrounded by said pouring spout flange forming an hermetic closure and being set ofi by weakened lines of tear and being removable away from the can wall to create a discharge opening at one end of the said spout for passage of the liquid flowing from the container and out of said spout.

4. A metal container for liquids, having a cover member secured thereto for sealing the same, the container being necked-in and reduced in diameter at its top cover end, a handle secured to said cover for lifting the container, and a pouring spout permanently secured to the container wall outside of its reduced end, said pouring spout being within the overall dimensions of the container when in pouring position, a portion of said reduced wall being defined by a weakening line so that it is a continuous closure and is adapted for being broken away from the remaining part to open the container without disturbing said cover member so that the liquid content flowing from the container passes therethrough and through the said spout when the container is lifted by its handle and tilted into dispensing position.

5. A metal container for liquids, having a cover member secured thereto and sealing the same, a tubular pouring spout secured to and within the overall dimensions oi the outside wall of the container Just below said cover member, a portion of one wall of the container within said spout being defined with weakened score lines spaced apart on one side to leave an unscored section and setting off a removable part and providing for opening of the container upon pressing in of the metal, part defined by the score lines as the defined wall part bends along its unscored section to create a discharge opening within the spout for dispensing the liquid from the container, and a cap flexibly attached to the container and adapted to frictionally engage said tubular pouring spout to provide a reclosure for the container.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL. 

